Mixed reports, sort of, on Coughlin’s future

Though it wasn’t quite NFLN-on-NFLN crime, a halftime report from Ian Rapoport and Mike Silver of the league-owned broadcast operation painted slightly different pictures regarding the future of Giants coach Tom Coughlin.

Rapoport led off, citing an unnamed, high-level Giants source in support of the notion that Coughlin will be given the opportunity to determine whether he returns in 2014. Silver followed, explaining that, while Coughlin can survive a 4-12 season, a 2-14 disaster could mean “all bets are off.”

The reports aren’t diametrically opposed, but they’re not exactly in harmony, either.

The truth remains unknown, in large part because this 0-6 book has 10 chapters left. And the epilogue could be just as scripted, with Coughlin technically coming to his own conclusion that it’s time to retire after getting pretty strong signals that the team wants to make a change.

Indeed, Coughlin doesn’t seem to be like the type of guy who would want to stay, if he senses that the team prefers that he move on, but that the franchise doesn’t want to fire a guy who has won two Super Bowls.

Regardless of the path taken or the words used to describe its destination, there surely will be accountability if the 0-6 course continues. In August, G.M. Jerry Reese said that, with only one postseason appearance in four seasons, everyone is “on notice.”

As the Giants currently swirl the NFL’s drain, those words will be hollow if a nightmare season doesn’t result in people waking up to pink slips.

Jerry Reese also needs to be put on notice. He made the brilliant move to sign Brandon Myers over Martellus Bennett. Myers does nothing (except cause an INT in the 2 minute drill), while Bennett is a solid contributor in both the run game and passing game.

Reese has gotten too much credit for all of the successful draft picks, but he’s also responsible for plenty of busts (never drafted a quality LB, and is responsible for the worst OL in the league).

rhabdodontidae says:Oct 10, 2013 11:29 PM

Never happen, but Coughlin would probably win more games by benching Eli.

This is “Vinny Testaverde playing on the old Bucs” bad.

justintuckrule says:Oct 10, 2013 11:32 PM

Not his fault that my kid’s junior high team can generate a better pro pass rush than this group of stiffs. Also not his fault that Eli gives the other team 3 extra possessions. There’s your 0-6 right there

I find any stories with ‘unnamed sources’ hard to believe when it comes to the Giants. Unless Mara or Reese gave the tip it means nothing. Might the Giants allow Coughlin to ‘step aside’ at the end of the season? Sure, the guy’s earned the right to author his own exit.

They don’t want to fire a two time Super Bowl winning coach? Watch Snyder have NO qualms about doing that if the Skins go 4-12.

thesmedman says:Oct 10, 2013 11:53 PM

Not a Coughlin fan. Always thought his teams have been marginal, luckily peaking at tournament time. But this isn’t on him and I don’t see him being fired for this.

That said, I can see Mr Cowher on the NYFG sideline very easily…

I can also see Coughlin going back to Jax…

djstat says:Oct 10, 2013 11:54 PM

Jerry Reese should be in notice for this team

justintuckrule says:Oct 10, 2013 11:57 PM

Gilbride called a great game, what are you talking about??? A 31 yr old rb off the street ran for over a 100. Mid range passing game was good plan until Eli completed passes to the bears. Open your eyes. Their problem is that their pass rush is an absolute joke. They can’t even get home when the blitz the house.

Eli had the dumbest look on his face after the pick six. I’d feel bad for him if he hadn’t been gifted that championship worthy OL and DL early in his career. We might have found out he was really just a shadow of the type of QB his brother is.

never trust anything that mike silver says. rapoport is a more trustworthy source. plus, these guys are just stating the obvious…hmmm i wonder whats going to happen to the head coach of an 0-6 football team.

This Bears fan is glad Resse is an idiot. Bennett has been everything we hoped and then some. We’ve been missing a quality NFL TE ever since they made the brainiac decision of trading Greg Olsen and keeping Kellen Davis.

If Coughlin doesn’t want to fire Killdrive and Fool then he needs to “retire” at season’s end. Also tired of these fans that want to sacrifice winning for loyalty and what we have done in years past. You play games to win them! I’m a bigger Giants fan than Yankees fan, but Steinbrenner would replace any player or coach that wasn’t producing each year. He would try to give us the best chance to win and did everything he could. I guess Reese was full of it when he said everyone was on notice because I see no changes or adjustments being made. Reese has been terrible too. Thanks for the 2 SBs Coughlin, but it’s time for some COWHER POWER and a quick fix. BRING IN THE CHIN!!!

Mara does not conduct business that way. Tom will either retire or return if he wants to. As much as I cannot stand Gilbride, he has been better with the game plan the past three games. The players are not executing. Myers is trash. The Giants also have the slowest defense in the entire NFL. Blaming Fewell — who, with the only time his entire unit was healthy (2011 Playoffs), completely shut down high powered offenses when Osi got healthy and Tuck returned to form late in that season — is inane. You can’t do much when you get absolute zero pressure on the QB, even when you send one or two extra guys who can’t find the appropriate lanes to blitz.

dolphins4 says:Oct 11, 2013 4:28 AM

The Giants have a good running game and a struggling offensive line and QB so what do they do pass the football.

rg3zacharm says:Oct 11, 2013 9:32 AM

I love when the giants suck. I still remember tiki barbers big day against the skins when the owner died, and they were acting like a bunch of freaks. Oh yeah! I never forget!!!

gpete1962 says:Oct 12, 2013 8:57 AM

Why doesn’t anybody bring up the fact that TC had one foot out the door 4 years ago after winning a SB 4 years prior to that.

It’s obvious his time has passed just by the fact that he’s kept Kilbride who is the worst OC in the league this long.

To my point! This Idiot still refuses to go to a random hurry up Offence when he has one of the best statistical 2 min drill QB’s in the game.

Lets not forget about Reese, who on one hand has been very good on evaluating late round draft talent, but the worst GM in the game on Evaluating free agent talent, plus not addressing an aging Oline and no linebacker options.

Because media making up stories and a bunch of angry fans voicing their displeasure whenever/wherever they want doesn’t mean he was on his way out of the door.

And that’s all this stuff is now, because the Maras don’t leak stories like this, nor would they fire Tom. He will have the option to return next year with a vastly different roster, or the option to retire or resign (two things he’ll never do; you will have to peel him off the sidelines).

If Coughlin doesn’t want to fire Killdrive and Fool then he needs to “retire” at season’s end. Also tired of these fans that want to sacrifice winning for loyalty and what we have done in years past. You play games to win them! I’m a bigger Giants fan than Yankees fan, but Steinbrenner would replace any player or coach that wasn’t producing each year. He would try to give us the best chance to win and did everything he could. I guess Reese was full of it when he said everyone was on notice because I see no changes or adjustments being made. Reese has been terrible too. Thanks for the 2 SBs Coughlin, but it’s time for some COWHER POWER and a quick fix. BRING IN THE CHIN!!!
————–

You’re the fool if you think Fewell, with the slowest defense in the NFL, is the problem. And I hate Gilbride, but he has had good game plans. He is not the one failing to execute time and time again. You’re also the fool if you think Cowher, who was lucky to even win the one Super Bowl he won in FIFTEEN YEARS, and who the game has passed by, is the successor whenever Tom leaves.

Giants fans kill me. The one time Fewell had a semi-full cupboard, his defenses shut down the best offenses in the NFL to the tune of 13 PPG. Everyone was injured other than Stevie and Rolle last year, everyone is injured or slow this year. You can’t win with this amalgamation of slag that the Giants have as a defense.

And despite being the slowest defense in the league, fi the offense was even SEMI competent, the defense would have been very good, all things considered. Armchair GMs crying about coordinators just show how football inept they are.